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Standard Vanguard Phase 1 and 1a and 2

Walter Belgrove designed the dramatic 'Beetle-back' Standard Vanguard Phase I drawing inspiration from an American Plymouth known to be parked outside the London Embassy. A new 2088cc 4-cylinder engine was given to the Vanguard, and this was later adapted for use in the Ferguson tractor. Inspite of the Vanguard's modern looks, the body sat on a separate chassis. For almost two years after its 1947 launch, the Vanguard was sold to export and was hard to purchase in Britain. In Late 1951 the Vanguard was revised as the Phase 1a, gaining a larger rear window, a shallow horizontal grille beneath a lowered bonnet. From January 1953 the Phase II was in production, with a much changed body that now ended in a booted tail giving it much better luggage capacity. From March 1954 the Vanguard Phase II could be bought as Britain's first diesel car. In Autumn 1955 the Vanguard Phase II was replaced by the new monocoque Vanguard Phase III.

Standard Vanguard Phase I. The new 'Griffin' theme Standard badge first applied to the Vanguard in 1948

Standard Vanguard Phase Ia - bonnet badge

Standard Vanguard Phase II - boot badge

Standard Vanguard Phase I. This 'American' grille was replaced on the Phase 1A with a wider lower grille.

Standard Vanguard Phase Ia - bonnet ornament

Standard Vanguard Phase I. Modelled on a 1940s Plymouth

Standard Vanguard Phase Ia. The Phase 1a was launched in 1952 and was given a lower bonnet line and a horizontal grille.

Standard Vanguard Phase II. Introduced in 1953, the Phase II was radically different at the rear, but at the front only subtle changes to the grille for Phase II.

Standard Vanguard Phase I. The 'beetle-back' styling by Walter Belgrove only allowed a small boot, and the longer 3-box Phase II gave a more capacious body.

Standard Vanguard Phase Ia. Revised in 1952 with a new bonnet and grille, the Phase Ia continued to use the 2088cc 4-cylinder engine and mechanics of the Phase I

Standard Vanguard Phase Ia Estate. Estate versions of the Standard Vanguard had been available on the Phase I model since 1950, and were continued on the Phase Ia model from 1952.

Standard Vanguard Phase Ia. The Phase 1a model of 1952 kept the beetle-back ('Bordie') shape of the original Vanguard but gave it a bigger rear window.

Standard Vanguard Phase Ia Estate. The Vanguard Estate (Phase I and 1a) used a van-type style with vertically split rear doors, unlike many competitors who had horizontally split tailgates.

Standard Vanguard Phase II. In 1953 the Phase II was launched with radically different 3-box styling from the windscreen back. Forward of the windscreen almost nothing changed, although the 2088cc engine was given higher compression.

Standard Vanguard Phase II Estate. Only the bonnet and grille identify the Phase II Vanguard Estate from the Phase Ia version, as the rear panels did not change.

Standard Vanguard Phase II. The Beetle-back shape of the Phase I/Ia was replaced with a conventional 3-box shape for the PhaseII, increasing boot spaced by 50per cent.

Standard Vanguard Phase II Estate. When in 1953 the Phase II 3-box style Vanguard was launched, the Estate versions retained the same rear panelwork and this were hardly different from Phase Ia versions.

Standard Vanguard Phase Ia Estate. Van-type doors for the Vanguard Estate, and also (of course) for its Van variant.

key text:
This is the page introducing Simons love of cars from the website
RedSimon which
is a series of photo albums of Simon GP Geoghegan.
The names of Pinin, Farina, and Pininfarina are also considered
There are also notes on
Pininfarina
as well as
the car maker
and links tothat
car maker
see also my Picasa car albums
withe even more on RedSimon
Simon is also a contributor to SuperCars.Net
And also to Wikipedia
Photos may be purchased from PhotoBox